In issue 2024-3 (February 2025) of UIA’s ‘Juriste International’ magazine, Frédéric Forster explains all you need to know about space debris and why it is important to manage them.
The proliferation of space debris
The use of space has contributed to strengthening the global economy, providing societal benefits, supporting environmental protection activities, and guaranteeing strategic sovereignty.
Consequently, many economic sectors and activities rely on the protection of spacebased devices and instruments against threats, such as those posed by space weather phenomena, Near Earth Objects (NEOs), or human-made space debris.
Since the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) published its technical report on space debris in 1999, there has been general agreement that the current debris situation creates huge risks to spacecrafts orbiting the Earth.
The management of space debris is important because of the proliferation of space debris, the growing threat it poses to the safety of space operations, and the need to ensure the long-term sustainability of the space environment. The management of space debris is not only a requirement of operational safety and environmental protection, but also a driver of necessary international cooperation to achieve technological progress. It is imperative that governments, international organizations, and private players work together to strengthen and improve space debris management regulations and practices.
Managing space debris: a key issue
Frédéric Forster, Head of Lexing‘s Telecommunications and Digital Communications practice and Lexing Network Executive VP, discusses the following points in this article for the International Association of Lawyers (UIA)‘s ‘Juriste International’ magazine:
- Guidelines of the Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC)
- Guidelines of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS)
- Role of supervisory and regulatory authorities
- In the European Union
- In the United States
- Sanctions
- Overview of the space debris situation
- European Union’s approach to surveillance and tracking of space objects
- Sensing function
- Processing function
- Service providings
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Juriste International is a UIA trilingual (French, English and Spanish) magazine published by Lexis-Nexis. Established in 1927 and with members in 110 countries, the UIA is a global and multi-cultural organization for the legal profession that facilitates professional development, stimulates learning and networking, and promotes the Rule of Law.